Page 91 of The Stone Curse
He canted his head and slow-blinked. “Romi? Yes, this body belonged to a Romi once. But Romi is dead, and now this body is mine.”
My heart fractured all over again.
“Come out and die gracefully, Basque,” he said. “Do so, and the others can live. Resist and when your shields fail, then you shall all die.”
My gaze flicked between him and the other three, then beyond, where two more regular-sized graynites stood awaiting instructions, before returning to Romi again.
No. This wasn’t Romi. Not any longer.
Romi was gone, and there was nothing left that I could do for him now.
I had to focus on what was left. On Serath and my friends.
Being the last Basque meant nothing if it meant risking their lives. “How do I know you’ll keep your word?”
“You don’t,” the thing in Romi’s skin growled.
I’d give my life in a heartbeat to protect my friends, but then what? They’d be defenseless against the graynites. I was the last Basque. The last hope to take down the bastard who’d killed my brother. Like fuck was I going to roll over and die.
If I was going down, it wouldn’t be without a fight.
I looked back at the building, at the blue shimmer that kept my friends safe. The portal would open in a few minutes. I just needed to buy them some time, but I knew in my gut that Derek’s shield wouldn’t last that long.
I had a plan.
“I need…I need a moment…” I ducked my head, feigning defeat, feigning the form of someone grappling with their upcoming demise.
“Take your moment, then,” the graynite growled.
I grasped for the connection that Derek and I had cultivated over the past few weeks and spoke into his mind.
I have a plan. We’re gonna use the element of surprise and make a run for it. I’ll start talking and agree to their terms, and when I say “drop the shield,” I need you to scoop up Sharniza and teleport her. I’ll be right behind you. There’s a break intheir defenses to the left. You can drop her and then come back for me.
I don’t like this.
It’s the only way. We have to try.
Then I teleport you first, my Cameron.
My heart swelled with love for him.If you do that, they’ll kill Sharniza. She won’t be able to run to get away from them. I can. Derek, please, I need you to do this for me.
He was silent for several beats, wrestling with the decision.Turning it over no doubt to find a flaw, another way, but there was none. Finally, he spoke, his tone tight, demanding.You run fast, my Cameron. You run like the wind, and I will come for you.
I promise.
I raised my head and looked up at the graynite who now owned my brother’s skin. “I agree to your terms. My life for theirs.”
The air vibrated with the purrs of approval, and my insides twisted in terror. I let it wash over me. Let the adrenaline flood me, because I was going to flee, and I needed it.
I fixed my gaze on the break between the two graynites farthest to my right. “Derek, drop the shields.”
The air crackled, the shields dropped, and I spun on my heel and launched myself at the breach between the graynites, breaking into a sprint. The building rushed toward me, and I spotted the others inside, jumping up and down, their voices screaming at me to hurry a moment before Derek appeared, running toward me.
If he was running, it meant he was out of juice. It meant…My stride slowed, weakness infusing my limbs, the beat of wings behind me growing louder.
“My Cameron, NO!” Derek burst out of his skin, morphing into chimera form with a terrifying roar before misting into nothing.
He was out of power. Completely, utterly depleted.
